Collapsible shipping case



Q. E. HARDESTY COLLAPSIBLE SHIPPING CASE Aug. M, @925.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1- Filed May 12, 1924 4 4 4/5 {a J 4/4 a 7 INVENTOR Mme/m s Ajxg. 11, 1925.

o. E. HARDESTY COLLAPSIBLE SHIPPING CASE File May 1924 2 SheetsSheet INVENTOR. l fin'dp fi ATTORNEYS.

QTTES E, HARDESTY, 0F SHERIDAN, WYOMING.

COLLAIPSIBLE SHIPPING CASE.

Application filed May 12, i924. Serial No. 712,820.

T 0 all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, Urns E. llnnonsrv, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Sheridan, in the county ofShericlan and Stateot Wyoming, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Collapsible Shipping Cases; and 1 do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it epperteins to make and use the some.

This invention relates to improve ments in i'olduble or collapsible shipping cases, having for an object to provide a shipping case particularly advantageous for the safe shipping of smell live stock, such for exemple, as poultry, pigs, sheep, et cetera, which when not in use, may be folded or collapsed and thereby require but a minimum amount oi space, hence reducing the shipping costs oi the case, as well as rendering it possible to more readily handle the. same when empty.

it is also an object of the invention to provide a. shipping case (it the character mentioned having the sides, top, and bottom thereof so closed as to prevent the stock housed therein from extending their legs,

heeds, or other parts through the same, and

becoming broken or severed.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a tolduble shipping case having means upon the ends, sides, and top sections thereof adapted to be interengaged in order that the some will be held relatively rigid and immovable, hem-e ensuring lluu stability necessary to such devices, which during shipping, are subjected to exceeding ly rough usage.

Other objects of the invention will be in part obvious, and in part pointed out hereincl-tor. w

in order that the invention and its mode of applicetion may be readily understood by persons skilled in the art, 1 have in the accompanying illustrative drawings, and in the detailed following description based thereupon, set out one possible embodiment of the some.

in these drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved shipping case in position;

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section through the same, taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 looking in the direction in which the arrows point;

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line of Figure 2, looking in the direction in which the rrows point;

d igure is a perspective view of the shippingcase in its partially l'olded or collapsed position; 4

F igure. 5 is a similar view showing the casein its fully folded or collapsed position;

Figure 6 is a detail in perspective of the intermediate partition of the shipping case; and,

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary detail section taken on the line T7, looking in the direction in which the arrows point.

Having more particular reference to the drawings, in connection with which like characters of reference will designate corresponding parts throughout, the improved shipping case may be stated to comprise a sheet metal or similar bottom 1 having the side portions thereof upturned or longed as indicated at 2 and provided with sleeves adopted to receive similar sleeves formed upon the adjarent marginal portions of side sections 3 therebetwccn, whereupon pivots or piutles 4 are passed through the ulined sleeves and obviously, serve to pivotally connect said side sections ,3 to the flanged tip-standing portions 2 of said bottom 1. in this couuectiomit will be noted that the opposite side portions of the side sections 3 are provided with other sleeves adapted to receive thcrcbetwecn sleeves formed upon the adjacent marginal portions of top sectious 5, whereupon pivot pins 6 are passed through the alignedslecvcs, thus serving to hiugcdly or pivotally connect the several top sections 5 of the improved shipping case to the side sections indicated herein nume a1 3. v W

End sections or walls having inclined 0ppositc sides and indicated by the numeral 7 are provided the shipping case and are hingedly connected, as indicated at 8, to the opposite cndportions oi the sheet metal bottom 1 in the manner clearly shown in the Figures 2 and 3.

The side, top and end sections 3, 5 and 7, as will be noted upon rol'erenc'e to the drawings'urc recticulated. 'lhat is, these various sections consist of Frames covered with a wire mesh or similar umtcrial of the desired gauge or size. Thus, the securing or proper by the ventilation through the shipping case is ensured and at the same time, the gauge of the mesh material covering the frames of such ections. 3, 5 and 7 is such as will positively revent the live stock contained therein gem extending their legs, heads, or other parts through the same, followed; by possible breaking or severance of the same.

In order that positive connection will be established as between the sides and ends 3 and T'ot' the improved shipping case, I

may and preferably do secure to the innersides of the opposite end portions of said sections 3, channeled ribs 9 which are on" widths and depths suflicient to permit of their positive engagement over adjacent portions of the inclined sides oi said end sections 7, in the manner as clearly shown in the Figures 1 and 8. By reason of this inter-engagement or connection between the sections 3 and 7, it will be understood that the case will have that stability necessary to permit the sinus to successfully Withstand rough usage imparted thereto. Also, the possibility of undue movement as between the sections 3 and T will be positively slime inated.

In order that the shipping case may be divided into several compartments, if desired, an intermediate -wallorpartition section indicated by the numeral 10 is provided, this section being constructed and formed in a manner corres 0nding to the sections 7 and having lunged connection as indicated at 11 to the upper side of the intermediate portion of the case bottom 1. The partition 10 is adapted to be disposed transversely of the bottom 1 and to ensure its retention, when desired, in a vertical position With'respect to the bottom 1, channeled ribs 12 are secured to the inner sides of the intermediate portions of the side sections 3 and are adapted to be engaged over the adjacent margina-l portions qfssaid hinged partition 10, Thus, means will be provided for supporting the partitidn 10 in a vertical or up right position with respect to the shippingcase and to. divide the same into a plurality of cojlllpfi flments.

With a view towards providing further means for bracing and securing the end sections 7 and the partition 10 in their i1prightor substantially upright positions with setting up of the shipping case, substantially W-shaped guide men'ibers 13 are provided, one of such members cured to the free marginal portion oi each of the sections 7 and 10, preferably inter mediate of the opposite ends of the same, as is clearly shown in the Figures 3 and 6; portions-of these members 13 extending beyond the adjacent portions receiving the same, whereby to provide pins adapted to be ngag d m.- 4 Ql?l fid infil being semeans will be provided for eflecting a brace as between the top sections 5 and the end sections 7 and likewise, means will be provided which will tend to retain the hinged top sections ii in their closed positions with respect to the side and end sections 3 and 7 respectively. Also, it is to be understood that the looped portions of the members 13 will serve as effectual stops or abutments ifor the adjacent marginal portions of the top sections 5 as well as possible handles for facilitating moving of the cases when in their set up positions.

A substantially U-shaped bracket or loop 15 is fixedly secured to the lower portion of the partition 10, being disposed at substantialiy right angles thereto, as is shown in the Figures and 3 and with folding or collapsing ofthe sections of the shipping case, it wil be seen upon reference to the Figure that the notched portions 16 of the top sections? will serve to permit the passage of portions of said bracket theret'hrough, thereby causing the free end of thebrafiet to be extended beyond the outermost folded section 5 in order that a tag, locking pin, orother device ma 1 be engaged therewith and that the folded setions will be securely retained in their relative folded or collapsed positions.

If desired, a suitable opening, slot or the like may he formed in the top sections 5 or other convenient parts of the shipping case whereby to permit the ailixing or tying of a tag, or similar device to the shipping case. 7

To effect positive closureoithat space occuring between the abutting or adjacent free extremities of the top sections, I may and preferably do provide laterally extending tongues generally indicated by the numeral 17, securing said tongues or fo din'g the same upon the free marginal portions of said top sections inisuch a manner as to cause the same to belarranged in closed'relationship with arrangement of the shipping case in its set-up position, as shown in the Figure Thus, inasmuch as the laterally extending tongues are arranged in slightly difl erent planes, overlapping engagement of the same. will be permitted-should the spacing as, between the free marginal portions of the top sections 5 vary for any reason. Likewise, these laterally extending tongues will serve to reduce the space between the free portions of the top sections 5 and in consequence, prevent the live-stock contained within the cases from extending their legs, heads, or other parts of their bodies through such openings.

Manifestly, the construction shown is capable of considerable modification, and such mien 1e i'm'lilication as is within the scope of my i consider within the spirit of my sl p ping-case coi'nprising a bottom, y swinging sides and ends hinged opposite end and side portions of said in, top sections hingedly connected. to the tr e extremities of said sides, and ostantially l d-shaped members secured to ice free sides of said end sections and inter- My of the opposite sides thereof pted to have the outer extremities of the opposite sides of the same engaged 1:3 in openia formed in adjacent portions aid top sections and to have parts of l inte i'nediate portions thereof abuttii fly ed with adjacent portions of said top shioping case comprising a bottom the opposite sides thereof formed pstanding langes, end sections hingv ci'innectcd to the opposite ends of said ittoni and vertically su'ingahlc with respect vertically swingable side sections oth connected to the margins por 'ens said upstanding flanges, top sections gcdly connected to the tree marginal 'tions of said side sections, and suhstanshaped members secured to the free ot' said and sections and interof the opposite sides thereof to have portions of the same en- Jienings formed in adjacent pord top sections and to have the (3. portions thereof abuttingly engaged with adjacent portions of said top sections,

"I shipping case, comprising a bottom the opposite sides thereof formed t upstanding flanges, end sections hingccnneetcd to the opposite ends of said he em and vertically swingahle with rer'spect to e some, vertically swinging side sections hingedly connected to the marginal portions of said upstanding flanges, top

Sections hingedly connected the tree 1. ginal portions of said side sections channeled secured to the inner sides of the opposite end portions of said side sections adapted to be engaged with ad acent portions of the end sections, at times, and substantially W-shaped members secured to the free sides of said end sections and in tcrniediately of the opposite sides thereof adapted to have port ons of the same engaged in openings 2" tried in adjacent ortions of said top sections and to have the intermediate portions thereof abuttingly engaged with adjacent portions of such top sections.

ii. A shipping case comprising a sheet metal bottom having the opposite sides thereof formed with upstanding flanges, reticulated sections hingedly connected to the free marginal portions of such flanges, reticulated end sections hingedly connected to the opposite end portions of said bottom, reticulated top sections hingedly connected to the free marginal portions of said side sections and adapted to be swung downwardly, at times, into engagement with the adjai'ent marginal portions of said end sections, channeled ribs secured to the inner sides of the opposite end portions of said side sections adapted to engage with the adjacent marginal portions of said end sections, a reticulated partition disposed transversely of the intermediate portion of said bottom and hingedly connected to the upper side thereof, other channeled ribs secured to the inner sides and intermediate portions of said side sections adapted to be engaged with the adjacent marginal portions of said partition, substantially W- shaped members fixedly connected to the free side portions of said end sections and said partition adapted to have the opposite extremities thereof engaged in openings formed in the adjacent portions of said top sections and the intermediate portions thereof to be abuttingly engaged With adjacent portions of said top sections, and laterally extending tongues carried upon the free marginal portions of said top sections.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand. I

OTTIS E. HARDESTY. 

